PhonePe Challenges Google 🤔, ISRO Struggles 🛰️, FTC vs. Amazon 📝

Catch up on the latest in tech, business and startups - all in 5 minutes. [Newsletter Banner] Daily News Roundup Welcome to today's edition of the NextBigWhat Daily News! Today's top stories include PhonePe's AppStore challenge, ISRO struggles with Chandrayaan-3, and FTC prepares for antitrust suit against Amazon. 🤖 Help us reach your your friends and colleagues! Share the NextBigWhat newsletter. [Tweet it]( [Whatsapp]( PhonePe Unveils Indus AppStore with Zero Fee, Challenging Google - India’s PhonePe has launched the Indus AppStore Developer Platform, offering no commission on in-app purchases and zero platform fees, positioning itself as an attractive alternative for Android developers dissatisfied with Google. - The ‘made-in-India’ app store, which supports 12 local languages and third-party payment providers, allows developers to list their apps free for the first year with a small fee later, compared to Google’s 15-30% rate. - The move comes amid growing local frustrations with Google’s monopoly in India and is part of broader PhonePe’s expansion strategy, including introductions of an e-commerce app and Share.Market for financial market investments. iOS 17 Update Allows iPhone Users to Alternate Search Engines - The iOS 17 release offers users the choice between two different search engines. - The change comes amid an antitrust suit against Google that alleges the company unlawfully maintained its online search monopoly. - While Google remains the default in Safari’s private mode, users can now opt for other search engines, such as Bing or DuckDuckGo, for private browsing. How to start a startup course: The world’s most comprehensive guide [NBW Newsletter Ad]( What we’ll delve into during this course is not just how to dream, but how to do. Starting a startup is not just about having a good idea; it’s a combination of focus, determination, iteration, and often, serendipity. [Enroll]( X Social Media’s Head for India and South Asia, Samiran Gupta, Steps Down - Samiran Gupta was the highest ranking Indian employee at X, responsible for important content-related policy issues. - His tenure concluded in September, post the acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk’s X-Corp. - With a central role in government and party relations, his departure comes as X faces an Indian court case over non-compliance with content removal directives. Tinder Rolls Out $499/month Subscription ‘Tinder Select’ to Elite Users - Tinder introduces a premium service, Tinder Select, for $499/month offering exclusive features to less than 1% of the app’s most engaged users. - Company indicates it will accept applications for Tinder Select on an ongoing basis. - Move follows similar high-fee subscription model used by its parent company, Match Group Inc., with dating app The League. Get NBW News: The short news app for busy professionals. [App Store]( [Google Play]( ISRO Struggles to Establish Communication with Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover - ISRO failed to receive signals from Vikram lander and Pragyan rover as part of Chandrayaan-3 mission; continues communication efforts. - Plans to reactivate the two spacecrafts on September 22, 2023 have been delayed to the following day to ensure spacecraft safety. - Vikram and Pragyan went into sleep mode ahead of the lunar night, with concerns over their survival in extremely low temperatures. India Offers DPI Ecosystem Know-How to Global South - India is ready to share its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) ecosystem resources for the Global South’s financial inclusion. - India’s financial inclusion mission, the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), surpassed 500 million participants last month. - Knowledge sharing, capacity building, and cross border linkages were identified as critical areas for collaboration in facilitating financial inclusion through the DPI approach. Bluesky Experiences Record Activity Following Musk’s Decision to Implement User Fees on X - Bluesky experienced a surge in activity and record sign-ups after Elon Musk revealed plans to charge users of X, formerly known as Twitter. - Bluesky’s Android app reportedly saw half a million daily active users on the day of Musk’s announcement, with its web traffic increasing significantly. - Despite the record surge, Bluesky remains cautious, halting new user sign-ups due to the influx of traffic. FTC Prepares for Possible Antitrust Suit Against Amazon - FTC is anticipated to file another lawsuit against Amazon, focusing on practices related to Amazon Prime, logistics, and advertising services. - The suit could also revolve around rules preventing products being sold cheaper on rival platforms. - This will be the fourth action against Amazon this year, with previous concerns ranging from privacy violations to deceptive subscription tactics. FinanceGPT uses AI for financial analysis; preps African languages interface - FinanceGPT, a generative AI startup, aids in financial analysis, forecasting valuations using proprietary AI models and GPT-4. - The startup is developing a financial voice assistant proficient in some African languages, part of a move to bridge language gaps in emerging markets. - Member of Nvidia Inception, FinanceGPT uses Nvidia’s technology to create distinctive solutions addressing limited accessibility and cost issues in financial services. ‘Game of Thrones’ Author and Others Sue OpenAI for Alleged Copyright Infringement - ‘Game of Thrones’ author and 16 others, organized by the Authors Guild, are suing OpenAI over alleged copyright infringements. - The lawsuit cites specific ChatGPT searches for each author, including an alleged unauthorized prequel to ‘A Game of Thrones’. - OpenAI defends its position, insisting it respects authors’ rights and highlighting its current productive discussions with the Authors Guild and other creators. Plantiga’s AI-Enabled Sensor Pod Aims to Decrease Risk of Injuries - Plantiga’s AI-powered technology, Arc5, is designed to minimize injuries by analyzing movement patterns when embedded into shoes, orthotics, or insoles. - Having initially catered to elite athletes and specialists, Plantiga now aims to penetrate the broader consumer market, projected to grow significantly by 2030. - Despite limited exposure and funding, Plantiga plans to collaborate with major footwear brands and is in the process of raising another funding round. Microsoft takes AI innovation further with Windows Copilot - The Bing Chat technology has evolved into Windows Copilot, a modern AI virtual assistant. - The assistant offers a range of services, from changing settings to integrating with existing and third-party apps. - Copilot will start rolling out to the public on September 26, along with improvements to other apps. © 2023 Zakti Techmedia Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. | [Unsubscribe](